Having spent nearly a quarter of a century with my porcelain, unblemished skin, I got the chicken pox two months ago. Initially, I was cool about it. After all, I'm a healthy person (well, I managed to dodge this disease in childhood!) and was sure it'll quickly pass. Besides, I have friends with hardly any scars left after getting chicken pox in their childhood. How bad can they be?

Day 0
Saw a spot near my neck which looked like an insect bite. Dismissed it and blamed the weather and environment. I still went out with my daily chores but felt sluggish the whole day.

Day 1
Next day, had high fever and saw more little water blisters breaking out. Shit,I was getting worried. Is it chicken pox?? My elder sister was currently into her second week of chicken pox. Didn't mom say I contracted it before? Apparently, mom didn't quite remember. This was just a week more into a planned trip. And foolishly, I believed that I would get better in time. I still ironed my clothes and packed them. As the day progressed, more and more blisters kept appearing and yet I still hoped. Need to check with the doctor the next day as it's a Monday.

Day 2
Later, the doctor confirmed my suspicion and I was immediately given two weeks medical leave. He even said given you two weeks holiday. Whee! Holiday - my foot. The doctor didn't administer the anti-virus. Taking the anti-virus may cause a relapse of chicken pox in future so it's better to have it now.

Quickly told my office on the status and proceeded to do everything right so that I can quickly get cured. Mom swathered me with calamine lotion after my baths to prevent itching. Everyone kept warning me about the horrible itch I should be suffering from. But honestly, I didn't feel the itch. Then again, I was taking medication to make me sleep alot and prevent itching. Sleeping was difficult as I felt hot and my back was bumpy.

Day 3-7
Woke my mom up in the wee hours of the morning as my body hurts. There were numerous blisters I felt extremely uncomfortable. I didn't manage to sleep at all the whole night. My blisters were "blooming" and there were plenty of huge blisters all over my body and some were accidentally burst while I slept. yucks, I know. hurts like hell too. When I showed my back to my mom, I could see the aghasted look on her face. She quickly put on a calm expression as she wiped my body with a clean cloth and dabbed calamine lotion all over me. I was too tired to do ask why. Soon after that, with the air-con on full blast, I eventually drifted to sleep.

The next few days, I basically slept and ate medication. The blisters got me at every imaginable place. I couldn't even eat with a blister in my throat and a couple in my mouth. Then I had four blisters on my upper lip. My face was swollen with blisters even on my eyelids. Oh God - when will this ordeal be over?

Went to the doctor end of the first week for a follow-up. First time, out of my home since the attack of the chicky pox. Wearing loose clothing and a shawl to cover my face, I dashed into the car. My mother called the doctor to open up the back door of the clinic to let me in. My dad quickly drove me to the clinic where I entered through a back door. As I was arriving, my mother quickly informed the nurse. (If I wasn't feeling so shitty, wah like fugitive seh!). The doc saw me and went, "WOAH, you really have a bad case of chicken pox!" As he tried to see my face under the blisters, I wanted to roll my eyes at him but darn it - cant even do that coz of the blisters! Got another week of medical leave - 3 weeks in total.

2nd week
I began to feel much better the 2nd week. Most of the blisters have turned into pus and were dropping off on its own this week. The swelling on my face went down. Some of my family members living in the same home started to recognise me again. I still look like a crazy nenek kebayan (witch) wearing a sarong around my body and covered with white stuff (the calamine lotion - duh!). Was able to pass my time reading and had no desire to switch on my computer to do work. I was getting better but I was still sick to do work. But I checked my work email and my manager asked to work from home the third week. so I decided to do so.

After 3 weeks, I officially recovered from chicken pox. However, the marks left really take a much longer time to heal as an adult. The doctors I have seen told me to be patient and to wait six months before all the spots finally disappear. It's been two months now and I'm glad to say I'm recovering well :) My face aint as good as it once was but it's definitely a tremendous improvement from the chicky pox days.